Colligative Properties

Practical uses of solutions

Units of Concentration
Whatever units you use, the goal is the
same: specify the quantity of 1 component
(the solutes) relative to the quantity of
another component (the solvent).
Common Units
% by mass

% by volume

Mole %

Molarity (M)

Molality (m)
Common Units
% by mass – g solute/100 g solution

% by volume

Mole %

Molarity (M)

Molality (m)
Common Units
% by mass – g solute/100 g solution

% by volume – Liters solute/100 L solution

Mole % - moles solute/100 moles solution

Molarity (M)

Molality (m)
Common Units
% by mass – g solute/100 g solution

% by volume – Liters solute/100 L solution

Mole % - moles solute/100 moles solution

Molarity (M) – moles solute/ L solution

Molality (m)
Common Units
% by mass – g solute/100 g solution

% by volume – Liters solute/100 L solution

Mole % - moles solute/100 moles solution

Molarity (M) – moles solute/ L solution

Molality (m) – moles solute/ kg solvent

Solute as part of a solution
 Note that, with the exception of molality,
all of the units of concentration are
expressed as some amount of solute
compared to some amount of solution.
 All the units of conversation are easily
convertible, although sometimes you may
need to know another piece of information
(molar mass, density, etc.)
Molarity
Molarity is probably the most common unit
of concentration in chemistry.

Why is that?
Molarity
Molarity is probably the most common unit
of concentration in chemistry.

Why is that?

UNITS! UNITS! UNITS!

Molarity
Molarity (M) = moles solute
L solution

This is both a chemically relevant unit and a practically

relevant unit.

L solution is very easy to measure in the lab!

MOLES! MOLES! MOLES!

Reaction occur based on the relative number of moles.

% by mass
This is one of the easiest units to use.

Why?
% by mass
This is one of the easiest units to use.

Why?

UNITS! UNITS! UNITS!

Mass is easy to measure in the lab!

% by mass
% by mass = g solute
100 g solution

This is easy to use, but not as chemically relevant

as Molarity. After all, it’s all about the MOLES!
MOLES! MOLES!

Is this a problem?

Not at all, it is easy to convert these units, but you

need to know a few other things.
Converting M to % by mass
% by mass = g solute
100 g solution

M = moles solute
L solution

What do we need to know to be able to convert

from one to the other?

UNITS! UNITS! UNITS! They shall lead the way.

Converting M to % by mass
Compare the units:

g solute
100 g solution

Moles solute
Liter solution

What do you see?

Both numerators refer only to solute.
Both denominators refer to the whole solution.
PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! Pay attention to the entire
unit – it’s not “grams” it’s “grams of something”
Converting M to % by mass
g solute
100 g solution

Moles solute
Liter solution

If I want to convert the numerators, what do I need to do?

Converting M to % by mass
g solute Moles solute
100 g solution Liter solution

If I want to convert the numerators, what do I need to do?

(Do I need to say UNITS! UNITS! UNITS! again)?

g solute  moles solute

What’s the conversion factor?

g solute Or moles solute

moles solute g solute

What do we call this?

Molar mass!
Converting M to % by mass
g solute x moles solute = moles solute
100 g solution g solute 100 g solution

Or, if you’re going the other way:

moles solute x g solute = g solute

L solution moles solute L solution

What about the denominator?

Converting M to % by mass
moles solute g solute
100 g solution Liter solution

100 g solution  L solution

What’s the conversion factor?

g solution OR L solution
L solution g solution.

What’s this called?

Density! We need to know the density of the
solution and the molar mass of the solute to be
able to convert M to % by mass.
Sample problem
You have a 1.2 M solution of NaCl in water.
What is its % by mass given that the
density of 1.2 M NaCl is 1.08 g/mL?

What do we do?

Simply convert the units!

Sample problem
You have a 1.2 M solution of NaCl in water.
What is its % by mass given that the
density of 1.2 M NaCl is 1.08 g/mL?

1.2 mol NaCl  g NaCl

L solution 100 g solution
Sample problem
You have a 1.2 M solution of NaCl in water.
What is its % by mass given that the
density of 1.2 M NaCl is 1.08 g/mL?

1.2 mol NaCl x 58.453 g NaCl = 70.143 g NaCl

L solution mol NaCl L solution

70.143 g NaCl = ? g NaCl

L solution 100 g solution

We have density in g/mL, but we have volume in L, so…?

Sample problem
You have a 1.2 M solution of NaCl in water.
What is its % by mass given that the
density of 1.2 M NaCl is 1.08 g/mL?

1.2 mol NaCl x 58.453 g NaCl = 70.143 g NaCl

L solution mol NaCl L solution

70.143 g NaCl x 1 L solution x 1 mL solution = 0.06495 g NaCl

L solution 1000 mL solution 1.08 g solution g solution

To get from g solution to 100 g solution???

Just multiply by 100.
Sample problem
You have a 1.2 M solution of NaCl in water.
What is its % by mass given that the
density of 1.2 M NaCl is 1.08 g/mL?

1.2 mol NaCl x 58.453 g NaCl = 70.143 g NaCl

L solution mol NaCl L solution

70.143 g NaCl x 1 L solution x 1 mL solution = 0.06495 g NaCl * 100

L solution 1000 mL solution 1.08 g solution g solution

6.495 g NaCl/100 g solution OR 6.495% by mass

(6.5% by mass to the correct number of sig figs.)
Slightly more complicated problem
You have a 2.5 M solution of NaCl in water. What is its % by
mass given that the density of 1.0 M NaCl is 1.07 g/mL,
the density of 3.0 M NaCl is 1.10 g/mL and the density of
5.0 M NaCl is 1.13 g/mL?

This is a more common real-life example. There are tables of

solution densities, but they don’t have an infinite number of
values. So, what do we do…?
Slightly more complicated problem
You have a 2.5 M solution of NaCl in water. What is its % by
mass given that the density of 1.0 M NaCl is 1.07 g/mL,
the density of 3.0 M NaCl is 1.10 g/mL and the density of
5.0 M NaCl is 1.13 g/mL?

2 options:
 Use the 3.0 M as being “close enough”.
 Do a linear interpolation to determine the approximate
value at 2.5 M.

What is a “linear interpolation”?

Linear interpolation
Assume that the data should have a linear
trend, plot the line of the data you do have
and find the data you don’t have?
Linear interpolation
Assume that the data should have a linear trend, plot the line of
the data you do have and find the data you don’t have?

1.14
1.13
D en sity (g /m L )

1.12
1.11
1.1
1.09
1.08
1.07
1.06
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Molarity

So, the density appears to be about 1.09 g/mL at 2.5 M.